


"I want to repay you."

by w_x_2



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: M/M, Merry Month of Masturbation Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-17
Updated: 2014-05-17
Packaged: 2018-01-25 11:14:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1646627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/w_x_2/pseuds/w_x_2
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I was under the impression that the third years were having a practical exam right now," Neville swallowed.</p><p>“Written,” Severus corrected. “I led them to believe it was practical so that I could catch you red-handed.” Severus gave a minute shrug, but didn’t portray any other emotions otherwise. “You only come down here when you know I’m occupied and unable to come down.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	"I want to repay you."

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: Not my characters, no harm intended, no profit made.  
> A/N: For the 17th day of [mmom](http://mmom.livejournal.com/) 2014.

“Professor Longbottom,” a sharp voice sounded behind Neville, making him squeak and stumble. The vial in his hand slipped from his hold and dropped to the floor as he jumped back, colliding with the floor-to-ceiling shelves of vials behind him resembling, in true fashion, one of his _classic_ mishaps from when he was younger.

 

As a result though, there were no sounds of vials shattering, or explosions from ingredients and potions which shouldn’t mix combining together. Instead, there was only Neville Longbottom taking quick pants of breath and clutching his heart as he covered his eyes with one hand.

 

Severus arched an eyebrow and after a few seconds the younger wizard exhaled long and deep as he controlled his breathing first, then opened his eyes with a look of incredulity and finally started to straighten up, hand coming away from his face as he saw that there had been no adverse results from his stumbling.

 

“Gosh Professor, you scared the shit out of me!” Neville muttered as he picked up the vial he had dropped on the floor and then stood up straight. “Give a bloke a warning, yeah?”

 

Severus arched his eyebrow higher.

 

“I know I’m clumsy. I doubled the protection and cushioning spells, made sure everything stayed in its place should something like that happen,” Neville simply explained as he placed the vial on the furthest row to the right and then turned to the Potions Master. “I was under the impression that the third years were having a practical exam right now.”

 

“Written,” Severus corrected. “I led them to believe it was practical so that I could catch you red-handed.” Severus gave a minute shrug, but didn’t portray any other emotions otherwise. “You only come down here when you know I’m occupied and unable to come down.”

 

“Ah,” Neville smiled sheepishly as he scratched at his stomach, redirecting Severus' gaze to the t-shirt he was wearing. Severus swiped his eyes over the room, finding Longbottom's robe by the boxes in the middle of the room filled with ingredients. “Indeed, I prefer not to have to face your wrath if I do damage anything.”

 

Severus smirked but then moved towards the box, picking up some of the ingredients so that he could help Neville shelve them. Neville nodded and they worked in silence.

 

Every week or so Neville would come down to Snape’s storage rooms in order to fill up the shelves with anything he himself grew in the greenhouses and the Forbidden Forest. He had done it for several months now, since he had become Professor of Herbology and taken over growing various plants, many of which were necessary to Severus as the Professor of Potions –along with his students– and also as a Potions Master in his daily brewing.

 

Neville always slipped in and out undisturbed, leaving a note to Severus but never directly talking to him, never acknowledging he had been there. And whenever they met in the hallways, or in the Dining Hall, Neville would be polite but remain professional and distant, something which tickled at Severus, because Neville _didn't_ have to restock his shelves, he _chose_ to.

 

“Well, Professor,” Severus uses the title in respect even as he drawls out the name. “Would you like to take a guess as to why I lied to my students?” Severus questions after they have finished restocking the shelves.

 

“You said it was to catch me in flagrant?” Neville asks as he bends down to grab his robe.

 

“Well, yes,” Severus concedes and watches as Neville stands up again and slips it on. “But the reason why?” Severus steps in front of the box Neville was about to pick up so he can't make his exit so fast.

 

“Skin me alive,” Neville gulps.

 

Severus smiles and says, “On the contrary, you have been very good to me, maintaining an eye on my stocks and keeping them supplied without my having to ask while remaining absolutely undetected. All without expecting anything in return.” Severus took one step closer to Neville and the man stepped back.

 

“I understand it was part of what Professor Sprout did,” Neville's voice is a bit hoarse but he doesn't stumble through his words.

 

“Yes,” Severus nods, crossing his arms over his chest. “Pomona would grow some ingredients for me, but I had to ask her for them as well as go get them, and of course brew some potions for her in return,” he reveals. “Something which you've never asked me to do, which is strange because many of the potions I brewed for Pomona were to help with some of her creatures,” Severus finishes off as he waits for an answer.

 

“I can brew them alright,” Neville informs, rolling his shoulders even as he looks away from Severus.

 

“As I said,” Severus takes the opportunity of Neville looking away to slowly step towards him, “You're too good to me, you added much variety to the ingredients you grow for me, far and beyond what Pomona used to grow.”

 

“I also use them,” Neville said looking at him, “And it's not hard to grow them in a higher quantity and give a part to you.”

 

Severus takes a step closer but Neville stands his ground this time. “I think it is long overdue that I repay you,” Severus muses as he steps closer and closer so that he's only a foot away, and then adds, “And by that I mean thank you,” he drawls. “What do you think?”

 

“T-Thank me?” Neville gulps.

 

And although Severus put the fear of all four founders into Neville when Severus was his teacher and Neville just a student, he doesn't want to take advantage of him now. Severus stops where he is, in fact takes a step back, and says very calmly, “Unless I read your interests wrong,” he says. “In which case I apologize,” Severus says sincerely. “But I would still like to thank you either way, in whichever manner you need or want. You've gone over and above what isn't even your duty, and it is only fair that I repay you.”

 

Neville looks confused, head slightly bent towards his shoulder as he replays Snape's words in his mind. “I don't need a thanks,” he says straightening up once more. “It's no trouble at all and if you'd prefer it, you can collect your ingredients from the greenhouse and stock them yourself, that way I stay out of the dungeons.”

 

Severus takes a moment and then nods, saying, “If that is what you wish.” Severus then begins to step back, remembering that there is a box behind him and turning around just in time not to fall inside it but not without making a scene, arms and body flailing for a second. After he has his balance once more, he clears his throat, standing up straight, and then looks one last time at Neville who has an amused smile on his face but is not laughing nor looks to be holding one in, and makes his way out of his storage rooms.

 

* * *

 

 

It's a week later when Severus is brewing that he notices that he is running low on a few of his ingredients.

 

Since their encounter in Severus' storage rooms, Neville had stayed out of the dungeons in true Gryffindor word. But he had also distanced himself much more, seating much further away from Severus during meals and either managing to engage someone else in conversation or completely -with a suitable excuse nonetheless- turning around whenever they met in the hallways.

 

And now Severus doesn't know what to do. Should he go out, buy ingredients, or even order them by owl, _or_ should he go down to the greenhouses? Or even the dark forest as the ingredients he had run out of were the ones grown in the dark forest and Severus knew that Neville would have plenty, after all he'd said that he grew them in larger quantities so that Severus too could use them.

 

Would he have stopped growing them? No, Neville had said that Severus could collect them therefore implying that there would be enough for Severus.

 

It was quite the riddle and in true Severus Snape form he ignored it for the rest of the day.

 

Luckily, during breakfast the next morning an owl swooped down, leaving him a note telling him that a batch of ingredients were ready for his collection. When he looked over to try to find the Herbology Professor to nod in thanks, the man was already gone.

 

Severus ate his breakfast in silence, grateful he wouldn't have to venture out of Hogwarts for the ingredients during the morning as it was the option he had started leaning more towards, and then once done, got up and made his way outside towards the greenhouses.

 

The trek there was silent and quick as almost everyone else was still in the Great Hall having breakfast, but his mind kept running in loops of thoughts and by the time he actually reached the greenhouses he had worked himself into a right state of what to say, or _not_ to say, to Neville.

 

Good Lord, he had propositioned his previous student, and said student, now professor, had shot him down without bare a thought to the matter. Or maybe Neville actually hadn't interpreted it as a proposition. Either way, Severus was _still_ thinking about it. Good grief.

 

He clears his throat and opens the door to the nearest greenhouse, which turns out to be empty. Empty of the Herbology Professor, and also empty of the promised supplies.

 

Severus rolls his eyes, and walks back out of the greenhouse, taking the short pathway to the second greenhouse.

 

He opens the door to it with less fuss and is happy to see the box of supplies on the first desk by the door.

 

He walks over to it, peers inside and notes it's as good a stock as any. But unfortunately there is one ingredient missing. One which he's been using in larger quantities than usual as he's been trying to perfect a new potion.

 

He debates on what to do, take the box and go out to buy it so he doesn't brother Longbottom, go in search of the good Professor to ask him if he has any, or go to the Dark Forest and try to find it.

 

Looking around the greenhouse he doesn't find Neville anywhere and he knows that if he wants to work on the potion he's got to get the ingredient.

 

Severus ponders on what to do for a few more moments, and then leaves the box where he found it and makes his way to the Dark Forest.

 

* * *

 

 

“I can hear you,” Longbottom says when Severus finds the part of the Dark Forest in which he has chosen to grow his ingredients, but remains on his knees, hands in the soil as he gardens by hand.

 

“But you're not weary enough to look up and see who it is,” Severus answers.

 

“Professor Snape,” Professor Longbottom says in surprise as he stands up immediately.

 

“Guess you thought I was someone else,” Severus says as a side of his mouth turns up in a very small smile.

 

Neville clears his throat. “Certainly didn't think it was you.”

 

“I didn't mean to startle you or invade your privacy,” Severus says.

 

“Already done,” Neville answers as he flicks his hand in a 'don't matter, let it go' gesture. “How can I help you?”

 

Severus _was_ intent on procuring the missing ingredient but he's got nothing to do at the moment, so, “Would you like a hand, Professor Longbottom?” Severus offers.

 

“There's nothing to do,” Neville answers.

 

“Oh? It seems as though you aren't finished planting,” Severus observes.

 

“You don't have to help,” Neville replies.

 

“I want to give you a hand,” Severus retorts, fighting the instinct to close his eyes because, _could you be anymore blunt?_

 

Neville clears his throat. “Look, Professor,” Neville begins opening his arms and splaying his hands. “If you _want_ to, that's one thing. But if you only want to just because you think you owe me for stocking your shelves, then no thanks,” Neville politely declines.

 

“I do owe you,” Severus reasons.

 

“Then no thanks,” Neville immediately repeats.

 

“You didn't let me finish,” Severus says.

 

Neville waits and nods in a 'go on' gesture.

 

“I _do_ owe you,” Severus repeats. “Like I previously said you have been _very_ good to me with no expectations,” Severus reiterates. “But, at the expense of making a bigger fool of myself, I do also want to give you a hand. As in,” Severus continues after a short moment. “Here in the Dark Forest helping you garden, and also, give you a hand after a date, or at least make a nice enough impression to prompt you to use your own hand.”

 

Neville tilts his head in response, opens his mouth but closes it back up because he has to replay what Snape just said in his mind.

 

“Did you just ask me out on a date, Professor Snape?” Neville asks with an unsure tone.

 

“Not in such words, but yes,” Severus answers.

 

Neville's quiet for long enough that Severus begins to wonder if in fact Neville did shut him down for real the first time, instead of like he'd hoped, not understood the proposition.

 

“Tell you what,” Neville finally speaks. “You take me out on a date,” Neville agrees. “But due to our past, if you do make a good enough impression, I'll use my own hand. And you'll take me on at least a further date before anything happens between us,” Neville proposes.

 

Severus breathes a sigh of relief through his nose so that it's not seen and tries to keep his shoulders up straight as he relaxes. “I can do that.”

 


End file.
